NEW DELHI, Apr 28: Beverages major Coca-Cola today announced appointment of T KK Krishnakumar as president of its India & South West Asia Business Unit replacing Venkatesh Kini who will exit the company after heading it for over 3 years.
The company also announced other leadership changes in its India & South West Asia Business Unit and Hindustan Coca- Cola Bottling operations.
“Venkatesh Kini, currently President, India and Southwest Asia Business Unit, who has capably served the company for 19 years, has decided to leave the company and return to the United States to pursue other opportunities outside the Coca- Cola system,” the company said in a statement.
Venkatesh will remain with the company until the end of July to ensure a smooth transition for his successor.
“T KK Krishnakumar, who currently serves as CEO and South West Asia Regional Director of Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Limited, will replace Venkatesh as President of the company’s India and South West Asia Business Unit,” it added.
Commenting on the leadership changes, Coca-Cola Company President of the Asia Pacific Group John Murphy said: “The Coca-Cola Company is designing a new operating model to support the next stage of our transformation into a growth- oriented, consumer-centred, total beverage company. Key components of this new operating model are a revitalised organisational capability and better system alignment to ensure that optimum execution multiplies our marketing plans and investment.”
Bottling Investments Group (BIG) President Irial Finan said: “India is the sixth largest market for The Coca-Cola Company in terms of volume…The Indian market has tremendous growth potential, and we believe the revitalised system leadership structure that we announce today will enable us to continue consolidating India as one of the most important growth engines for The Coca-Cola Company globally.”
Coca-Cola said the new structure will become effective from May 1.
Vamsi Mohan, who currently serves as BIG’s Region Director for Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia will, in turn, replace Krishnakumar as South West Asia Regional Director for Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd.
Christina Ruggiero, currently Chief Procurement Officer for the Coca-Cola System in North America, and President and CEO for Bottlers’ Sales & Services, LLC, will be reporting to Vamsi as the new CEO of Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd. (PTI)
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